Eye of Horus and Eye of Providence

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Eye of Horus

The eye has been a powerful symbol in many cultures and religions, and its use as a divine representation has a long tradition. The ancient Egyptian Eye of Horus is one of the best well known examples. It depicts a stylized eye and eyebrow with two lines extending from the bottom to mimic the facial markings on a falcon, the symbol of the sky god Horus. According to legend, Horus lost the eye in a struggle for the right to the throne of his late father Osiris, and then had it magically restored. The Eye of Horus became a symbol of power, protection and healing. It was used on amulets and on the bows of vessels to ensure safe travel.

Eye of Providence

In the Middle Ages, the ancient eye symbol, used in many cultures and religions, was adapted by Christianity, and it took the shape of the All-Seeing Eye of God. The eye is often depicted within a triangle and surrounded by beams of light or a halo. In the Medieval and Renaissance Europe, it represented the Christian Trinity, but later on it came to represent, more broadly, the Eye of Providence and the divine intervention. In the modern era, the most notable depiction of the eye is the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States, which appears on the United States one-dollar bill, where the eye within a triangle hangs over a pyramid. The Eye of Providence also appears as part of the iconography of the Freemasons, where it represents the watchful eye of God – the Grand Architect of the Universe.